Key points
- The Presidency has dismissed Atiku Abubakar’s claim that Nigeria’s borders are closed, saying most land borders were reopened in March 2024.
- It said effective border management should facilitate legitimate movement and trade while preventing terrorism, smuggling and other transnational crimes.
- The Presidency challenged presidential aspirants to present detailed plans for border security, surveillance and regional cooperation.
Main story
The Presidency has dismissed former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar’s claim that Nigeria’s borders are closed, saying the country’s land borders remain open to legitimate movement and trade.
Mr Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, said this in a statement titled, “Atiku and the borders: Nigerians deserve facts, not campaign slogans”, issued in Abuja.
Dare said the Federal Government reopened most of the country’s land borders on March 14, 2024, and had not reversed the decision.
He was reacting to Atiku’s recent declaration that he would “open the borders” immediately upon assuming office, asking the former Vice President to clarify which borders he intended to reopen.
“The facts are straightforward: Nigeria’s land borders are already open. It is therefore difficult to understand which borders the former Vice President intends to ‘open’.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
Dare said that if Atiku was referring to relaxing existing border controls, he should explain which controls would be removed and the safeguards that would be put in place against terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational crimes.
He cited the opening of the Kamba border in Kebbi State by Tinubu on Feb. 14, 2026, as evidence of the administration’s efforts to facilitate legitimate cross-border economic and diplomatic activity.
“The distinction between an open border and an uncontrolled border is fundamental to responsible national security and economic policy.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
According to Dare, modern border management is intended to facilitate legitimate movement, trade and economic interaction while preventing criminal networks and terrorist organisations from exploiting the same routes.
He said effective border management required immigration control, customs administration, intelligence-sharing, surveillance, technology and coordinated security operations.
The presidential aide said Nigeria’s border security could not be considered separately from developments across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, given the country’s borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
“As Atiku rightly acknowledged, Nigeria shares borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon. The region continues to confront terrorism, violent extremism and transnational organised crime.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
Dare said criminal networks could exploit porous borders to move people, weapons and other illicit materials across countries, making security along border communities an important part of national security.
Citing the Global Terrorism Index 2026, he said about 41 per cent of terrorist attacks occurred within 50 kilometres of international borders, while about 64 per cent occurred within 100 kilometres.
“The security reality is compelling. Borderlands are particularly vulnerable where difficult terrain, limited state presence and weak coordination create opportunities for terrorist organisations.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
Dare said Nigeria’s security operations along the Northeast and Northwest corridors should therefore not be interpreted as evidence that the country’s borders were closed.
Instead, he described the deployment of the Armed Forces and other security agencies along the corridors as part of measures to secure the borders against transnational threats.
“Effective border management is an indispensable component of national security as domestic insurgencies evolve into increasingly networked and transnational terrorist threats.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
He said political contestation was legitimate, but argued that statements concerning national security and the economy should be based on facts and supported by clear policy proposals.
“Statements about national security and the Nigerian economy should be grounded in facts, institutional understanding and a credible alternative policy agenda.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
Dare challenged presidential aspirants to provide detailed plans for border surveillance, intelligence-sharing, customs and immigration operations, technology deployment and regional security cooperation.
“What Nigerians deserve is not a slogan about ‘opening borders,’ but a detailed explanation of how border surveillance and security would be improved.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
He said such plans should also provide for the protection of border communities while facilitating legitimate commerce and movement.
Dare said the Tinubu administration remained open to scrutiny and should be assessed on measurable outcomes in security, economic recovery, border management and citizens’ welfare.
“Nigeria’s borders must be open to legitimate commerce and movement, but secure against terrorists and criminals.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
He said the borders should be monitored with technology, guided by intelligence and integrated into Nigeria’s broader national security and economic strategy.
“That is the policy conversation Nigerians deserve.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
The issues
The disagreement centres on the distinction between reopening borders and strengthening controls around them.
While the Presidency maintains that Nigeria’s land borders are open, it argues that openness does not mean the removal of immigration, customs and security controls. It says such measures are necessary to facilitate legitimate trade and movement while limiting the activities of criminal and terrorist networks.
What’s being said
“The facts are straightforward: Nigeria’s land borders are already open. It is therefore difficult to understand which borders the former Vice President intends to ‘open’.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
“The distinction between an open border and an uncontrolled border is fundamental to responsible national security and economic policy.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
“What Nigerians deserve is not a slogan about ‘opening borders,’ but a detailed explanation of how border surveillance and security would be improved.” — Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication
What’s next
The Presidency is challenging presidential aspirants to provide detailed proposals on border surveillance, intelligence-sharing, immigration and customs operations, technology and regional security cooperation.
Bottom line
The Presidency says Nigeria’s land borders remain open but insists that legitimate movement and commerce must operate alongside effective security controls to prevent terrorism and other transnational crimes.
